Casket-lid locking system



Dec. 8, 1959 J. N. DlDAY 2,916,317

CASKET-LID LOCKING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 10, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

JESSE N. DI DAY BY CORBE TT- MAHONEKM lLLER & RAM BO Dec. 8, 1959 J. N.DIDAY CASKET-LID LOCKING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 10, 1958INVENTOR.

JESSE N. D l DAY BY CORBETT MAHONEY\ M ILUZR & RAMBO BYJZKLX AT UniteCASKET-LID LOCKING SYSTEM Application January 10, 1958, Serial No.708,083

3 Claims. (Cl. 29226) My invention relates to a casket lid lockingsystem. It has to do, more particularly, with a locking system for acasket of the type which includes a body section having a pair of lidhalf-sections hinged thereto for swinging independently in a verticaldirection.

Caskets with hinged half-section lids in the past few years have comeinto considerable favor. These lid half-sections are hinged to the rearupper edge of the casket body section for swinging verticallyindependently of each other. Each lid section is provided with a sealingflange around its front, rear, and end edges for cooperating with asealing flange on the corresponding upper edges of the casket bodysection. Furthermore, a sealing gasket arrangement is provided betweenthe meeting inner end edges of the lid half-sections. Locking systemshave been provided in the prior art for pulling the lid sealing flangesin tight contact with the body section sealing flanges and locking theflanges together in sealed relationship. A locking arrangement commonlyused in the past has consisted of headed pins which depend from thefront flanges on the two lid half-sections and a single reciprocablelocking bar mounted below the body section sealing flange which isprovided with bayonet slots formed therein for the reception of andcooperation with the headed studs, to pull both lid half-sections simultaneously downward and seal them to the casket body section. Thislocking bar is usually operated by a screw extending through one end ofths casket body section and operable by a crank from outside the endsections but this has been found difllcult in actual operation becausethe bar might engage the pull down studs of one lid half-section withoutengaging the studs of the other lid half-section. Sometimes,considerable downward pressure or weight on both lid half-sections isrequired to force them downwardly sufficiently to properly locate thestuds of both lids so that the heads thereof will be engaged by the bar.

It is the main object of my invention to provide a locking system forthe lid half-sections of a casket which is so designed and constructedthat each lid section can be pulled down and locked independently of theother section.

Another object of my invention is to provide a locking system of thetype indicated above which comprises an independent locking unit foreach lid half-section.

Another object of my invention is to provide a locking unit whichincludes hook-type latch members which will, when the unit is properlyoperated, reach into cooperating latch slots in the sealing flange ofthe lid and pull the flange downwardly into sealing position with thesealing flange body section Where it will be firmly locked.

A further object of my invention is to provide a locking unit which isprovided with an off-center arrangement tending to snap the hook latchesinto locked position and keep them in such position.

A further object of my invention is to provide a locking unit which isreadily adjustable to properly position the hook latches relative to thelatch openings.

States Patent An additional object of my invention is to provide alocking unit which is operable by a single rotatable actuating shaftaccessible from the front and outside of the body section of the casketand which is provided with sealing means between it and the casket bodyfront wall.

Various other objects will be apparent.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated a preferred embodimentof my invention.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a casket having two lidhalf-sections with my locking system associated therewith.

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of one of the lockingunits associated with one of the lid sections.

Figure 3 is a top view of the locking unit shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detail in perspective of a portion of one of the lockingunits.

Figure 5 is an enlarged side elevational view of the actuating crank ofthe locking unit showing the off-center arrangement tending to move thelatch hooks into locking position and hold them in such position.

Figure 6 is a detail showing the rotatable actuating shaft on the frontwall of the casket body and the sealing means therefor.

With reference to the drawings, in Figure l, I have illustrated mylocking system applied to a casket which comprises the body section ll)having the two lid halfsections 11 hinged thereto at the rear upper edgethereof. One of the lid sections 11 is shown in closed position and theother in open position. Each section 11 is provided with a sealingflange 12 which extends along the end, front, and back edges of thesection. These flange portions will cooperate with correspondingportions of a sealing flange 13 provided entirely around the upper edgeof the casket, as indicated at 13 in Figures 2 and 4. Extending alongthe sealing flange 13 is a sealing gasket 13a.

A locking unit 14 is disposed at the upper edge of the forward wall ofthe casket body 10 directly below the sealing flange 13 thereof. One ofthese units 14 is provided for each of the lid half-sections 11. Each ofthese units is independently operable to independently pull down andseal the lid half-section 11 with which it is associated.

It will be apparent from Figure 1 that the forward flange portion of thelid sealing flange 12 is provided with a pair of latch-receivingopenings 15, each of which is disposed adjacent the ends of the lidsections. For cooperating with these latch openings 15 of each lidsection, the associated locking unit for that section is provided with apair of hook latches 16. The manner in which these latches are mountedand are associated with the locking unit 14 is illustrated in detail inFigures 2 to 4, inclusive.

Each hook latch member 16 is pivoted for vertical swinging movementabout a horizontal pivot 17 which is mounted on a depending lug whichmay be formed in producing an opening 19 in the flange 13 of the casketbody. Each opening 19 will be so located that it will align with thecorresponding opening 15 in the lid when the lid is lowered. As shown bydotted lines in Figure 2, the two latch members 16 are turned inopposite directions and will swing in opposite directions through thetwo sets of aligning openings 15 and 19. Ordinarily,

openings 15 and 19 and the ends of the hooks will engage the lid flange12 adjacent the outer ends of the openings 15, as indicated by fulllines in Figure 2.

For rocking the two hook. latches 16 about the pivots 17, a, pair ofpush-pull actuating. rods 20 .is provided. Each rod ispivotedat itsouter .end: to the .flat end of the. hooklatch 16 by. the pivot pin 21.The opposite or innerend of each rod.20 is pivoted -by .a pivot pin 22to one end of a double crankarm 23 which is preferably of channel form.Each rod is providedwith a turnbuckle 24 by means of which its lengthmay be adjusted so as to initially position the associated latch member16 properly around its pivot 17. The double. crank arm 23 is, pivotedintermediate its ends by means of a forwardly or outwardly extendingshaft25' which is rigidly secured to the crank member 23 intermediateits ends and which is rotatably mounted in a bearing 26 formed onthefront wall 27 of: the body section of the casket. An annular sealinggasket 28 surrounds the shaft 25 and engages the outer surface of thewall 27 around the shaft opening. It will be noted that the shaft '25extends through theforward wall 27- of the body section of the casketand is surrounded by the gasket 28. A retaining collar 31 is attached tothe outer wall 27 and holds the gasket 28 in sealing position. The shaft25 is provided with an outwardly opening socket 32 of angularcross-section for receiving a tool by means of which it may be rotated.For normally closingthe outer end of the socket a tab 33 is pivotedthereto and can be rocked to one side to expose the outer end of thesocket 32.

It will be apparent that when the shaft 25 is rocked, the crank 23 willbe rotated about the axis thereof and will simultaneously exert push orpull forces on the rods 20 since they are connected to the double crankat opposite sides of the axis of the shaft 25. In one direction ofrotation of the shaft. 26,.the rods. 20 will swing the rods 16 inwardlyinto releasing position. vIn a reverse rotation of the shaft 26, therods 20 will swing the latch member 16 upwardly and outwardly throughthe aligning openings and 19 into latching position where the latchingends of the hook members 16 will engage the lid flange 12 to pull thelid downwardly and lock it in sealed position. As the latch members nearlatching position, the rod pivots 22 will assume an offcenterrelationship to a line passing through the axis of the shaft 25, asshown in Figure 5, which will tend to snap the latch hooks in latchingposition and retain them in such position. It will be noted that thepivot 22 for the outer rod is inside the channel crank arm 23 so as notto interfere with shaft while the other pivot 22 is outside the channel.

It will be apparent from the above that I have provided a simple lockingsystem for the lid half-sections of a casket which can be operable fromthe front of the casket. Each lid half-section is locked by a separatelocking unit so that each lid section can be locked independently of theother. Thus, one section may be open with the other locked or both maybe open at the same time. However, as each section is closed, it islocked independently of the other. No pressure will be required toattempt to lock both sections simultaneously and, in fact, each sectionwill be pulled down in the initial locking operation merely by operating'the latches.

' Various other advantages will be apparent.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A locking unit for a casket Lhavinga body section and a lid hingedthereto at its rear wall for-swinging movement between an upper openposition and lower sealing position, the lid and the bodyhavingcooperating sealing flanges which are inflat contact when the lid is inits lower sealing position and the sealingflange of the body projectinginwardly'from its front wall, the lid flange. having a pair oflatch-receiving openings formed therein and spaced longitudinallythereof and the body flange having a pair of openings therein spacedlongitudinally thereof'for substantially aligning with thelid openingswhen the lid is in'its lower sealing position, said locking unit lockingthe lid in its lower sealing position, said unit comprising hook-shapedlatches pivotally mounted on the front wall of the casket body below andadjacent its sealing flange and-being swingable from a lower position-within=the-body sealing flange. upwardly through the openings thereinand through the aligning openings in the lid flange when vit is initstlower sealing position into engagementwith the lid flange -to-pullit downwardly in firm. sealing contact with the body flange, each ofsaid latches having a hooked end and an opposed actuating end and beingpivoted to the front wall of the casket bodyintermediate its ends, meansfor actuating said latches and comprising a push and pull rod extendinglongitudinally below said body sealing flange and connected at theirouter ends .to theactuating-end of each of said latches, a double crankmounted for rotation on said body intermediate said hook-shaped latchesand to which the inner ends. of said rods are connected, said crankbeingof channel form with opposed ends and with front and rear flanges,an actuating pivot shaft keyed to the channel intermediate its ends androtatably carried by said front wallof the body of the casket, one rodhaving its inner end located within the channel and pivoted to the frontflange of said channel at one side of said shaft and the other rodhaving its inner end located outside the channel and pivoted to the rear:flange of saidchannel at the other side of said shaft, said crank beingmovable beyond center into locking position as the actuating pivot shaftrotates .the crank and thereby moves the latches into locking position.

2. A locking unit for a casket having a body section and a lid hingedthereto at its rear wall for swinging movement between an upper openposition and a lower sealing position, the lid and the body havingcooperating sealing flanges which are in flat contact when the lid is inits lower sealing position and the sealing flange of the body projectinginwardly from its front wall, the lid flange having a pair oflatch-receiving openings formed therein and spaced longitudinallythereof and the body flange having a pair of openings therein spacedlongitudinally thereof for substantially aligning with the lid openingswhen the lid is in its lower sealing position, said locking unit lockingthe lid in its lower sealing position, saidunit comprising hook-shapedlatches pivotally mounted on.the front wall of the casket body below andadjacent .its sealing flange and being swingable from a lower positionwithin the body sealing flange upwardly through the openings therein andthrough the aligning openingsin the lid flange when it is in its lowersealing position into engagement with the lid flange to pull it.downwardly in firm sealing contact with .the body flange, each of saidlatches having a hooked end and an .opposed actuating end and beingpivoted to the front -wall of the casket body intermediate its ends,means for .actuating said latches and comprising a push and pull rodextending longitudinally below said body sealing flange and connected attheir outer ends to the actuating end of each of said latches, a doublecrank mounted for rotation on said body intermediate said hook-shapedlatches and to which the inner ends of said rods are connected, saidcrank being of channel form with opposed ends and with front and rearflanges, an actuating pivot shaft keyed to the channel intermediate itsends and rotatably carried by said front wall of the body of the casket,one rod having its inner end located within the channel and pivoted tothe front flange of said channel at one side of said shaft and the otherrod having its inner end located outside the channel and pivoted to therear flange of said channel at the other side of said shaft.

3. A locking unit for a casket havingabody. section and a lid hingedthereto at its rear wall for swinging movement between an upper openposition and a lower sealing position, the lid and the body havingcooperating sealing flanges which are in flat contact when the lid is inits lower sealing position and the sealing flange of the body projectinginwardly from its front wall, the lid flange having a pair oflatch-receiving openings formed therein and spaced longitudinallythereof and the body flange having a pair of openings therein spacedlongitudinally thereof for substantially aligning with the lid openingswhen the lid is in its lower sealing position, said locking unit lockingthe lid in its lower sealing position, said unit comprising hook-shapedlatches pivotally mounted on the front wall of the casket body below andadjacent its sealing flange and being swingable from a lower positionwithin the body sealing flange upwardly through the openings therein andthrough the aligning openings in the lid flange when it is in its lowersealing position into engagement with the lid flange to pull itdownwardly in firm sealing contact with the body flange, each of saidlatches having a hooked end and an opposed actuating end and beingpivoted to the front wall of the casket body intermediate its ends,means for actuating said latches and comprising a push and pull rodextending longitudinally below said body sealing flange and connected attheir outer ends to the actuating end of each of said latches, a crankmounted for rotation on said body intermediate said hook-shaped latchesand to which the inner ends of said rods are connected, an actuatingpivot shaft keyed to the crank intermediate its ends and rotatablycarried by said front wall of the body of the casket, one rod having itsinner end pivoted to the crank at one side of said shaft and the otherrod having its inner end pivoted to the crank at the other side of saidshaft, said crank being movable beyond center into locking position asthe actuating pivot shaft rotates the crank and thereby moves thelatches into locking position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,794,786 McBride et al Mar. 3, 1931 2,586,648 Hale et al. Feb. 19, 19522,661,229 Slaughter Dec. 1, 1953 2,708,301 Wilkirson May 17, 19552,708,302 Wilkirson May 17, 1955 2,723,147 Slaughter et a1. Nov. 8, 19552,848,782 Gillison Aug. 26, 1958

